Here’s What Your Favorite Boon-Giving Character in Hades II Reveals About You

We were more than a little obsessed with the first Hades game when it released back in 2020, and when its sequel was announced, it instantly became one of our most anticipated titles of 2025. We waited for the full release of Hades II on Sep. 25 on jump in, wondering how it'd be possible for the game to live up to its predecessor, and somehow, it's managed to meet all of our expectations and more.

Hades II is prettier, denser and essentially twice as big as the game that came before it, with just enough innovations to the gameplay to feel fun and familiar without simply retreading any of the same old ground. It's a roguelike dungeon crawler that sees Melinoë, the secret daughter of Hades and Persephone, who's trained all of her life with her mentor, the witch Hecate, for a singular cause. As the game begins, she's finally embarking on her lifelong quest to slay her evil grandfather, the titan Chronos, and rescue her kidnapped family from imprisonment.

The real magic of the Hades games is that each and every run is unique, because along the way, you'll encounter Olympian and Chthonic gods, Primordial beings, Titans, cursed beings, Shades and witches eager to offer their help in the form of boons. These boons empower you in different ways, granting you strength, speed, status effects and more in hope of becoming powerful enough to bring down Chronos once and for all. Of course, it doesn't take long at all for players to start picking favorites, and below, we'll reveal what your favorite reveals about you. Just be mindful, because if you're still early in the game, some of the appearances below may be considered spoilers.

Apollo

If you find yourself gravitating toward Apollo boons, you probably enjoy his bright and sunny disposition—and the fact that his moves leave your foes in a daze. You're willing to experiment and try new things, as Apollo is a newcomer to Hades II. You also enjoy running around without a care a enemy after enemy misses you entirely with their attacks, as well as the larger area of effect with your strikes and marking the ground with casts that grow to absurdly large and damaging proportions.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Hermes

As a lover of Hermes, you gotta go fast. You find the standard game speed a little bit slow and would prefer to zip around the map, taking out enemies without a thought in the process, and you also enjoy a good discount every once in a while. In a game like Hades II, that impatience can actually pay off. If you've gotten into Fear runs, we bet you always have Vow of Desperation turned on.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Zeus

Fans who gravitate toward Zeus's boons know he's a classic and incredibly reliable ally, especially when you've got a weapon with a fast attack speed. You can't get enough of watching your enemies get zapped with lightning again and again, and then blitzed into obscurity—especially when you have chained lightning effects on. You know he's the King of the Olympians for a reason, and even though he can be a massive jerk in the mythology, he'd never do anything to upset the game's Melinoë personally.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Demeter

Melinoë's grandmother, Demeter, may have a slightly chilly demeanor, but in Hades II, her icy cold abilities are top-notch. If you love her boons, you likely enjoy watching even the toughest combatants get frozen uselessly in place, allowing you to strike before they can even more to attack you. She can also make your attacks more powerful, lending her grandmotherly wisdom and strength in a way that can be life-saving for certain runs.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Hephaestus

Hephaestus is another fresh face in Hades II, and if you're a big fan of his boons, you like to be able to hit hard while also protecting yourself from possible harm. His blast damage can rapidly bring down foes, with additional damage from his glow effects, while the armor he provides can provide the player with extra wiggle room to take hits and survive. You might also be a big fan of his forging skills (including his prosthetic leg and custom wheelchair).

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Hera

Hera, the wife of Zeus, was conspicuously absent from the first Hades game, but here, the Queen of the Olympians has quickly become a fan favorite. As the goddess of marriage, she causes enemies to become "hitched," which basically connects them in such a way that foes hitched to each other receive damage even when they're not the ones being struck. She's regal and a little vain, but always a welcome sight, especially with her abilities that reward you for becoming close with all of your extended family.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Arachne

Arachne is not a goddess, but a human woman who was cursed to become an immortal spider after beating the goddess Athena in a weaving contest. If you always make a visit to Arachne, you adore not just the pops of color on Melinoë's model when she chooses one of Arachne's silk dresses, but the benefits and armor they bestow. You try to make it as far as possible without damaging the dresses, because you know that's what proud little Arachne would want.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

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Hestia

Lovers of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, are no doubt drawn to her kind auntie energy as well as the massive pain her moves can dole out. Hestia's fiery boons can inflict scorch, which causes damage over time, and you enjoy basically melting every enemy in sight (and being able to rapidly accelerate that first damage). On occasion, her fire has gotten you in trouble, igniting your surroundings and causing you a bunch of avoidable damage, but you'd never blame sweet old Hestia for it.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Poseidon

Fans of Poseidon enjoy has buoyant and outgoing personality and making a big splash with their moves. Not only can his boons make your attacks knock enemies back with every splash, but additional froth damage also makes him extra formidable, especially paired with weapons that hit quickly and frequently. He's also a pretty generous god, allowing you to collect plentiful resources in times of need, and it's likely he's saved more than one of your runs with a surprise offering of healing.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Aphrodite

You might not expect Aphrodite, the goddess of love, to be of much help when it comes to war. However, fans of the goddess know better, especially when it comes to her boons that inflict weak and charmed effects. She's a favorite of those who prefer slow-moving and close-up weapons, before her attacks deal more damage to enemies when you get up close and personal with them, while also decreasing the damage output of these foes. She's also super helpful when it comes to seeking healing, and even charming baddies to fight on your behalf.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Narcissus

Narcissus is the original narcissist, and yet, we can see why some can't resist his charms. If you find yourself returning to his chamber again and again, you probably find his sense of self-love amusing, while also appreciating the gifts he doles out without a second thought. He might have saved you more than once with the right upgrade at the right time, or shared a resource you'd been struggling to collect.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Artemis

You don't get to choose Artemis—Artemis chooses you—and that's why we're always happy to get a little help from our favorite witchy cousin during our adventures. Her unique boons mostly revolve around critical damage, allowing your moves to occasionally hit three times harder than usual. That extra damage has really helped you in a pinch, and you're a big fan of the closer relationship that Artemis and Melonoë share.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Selene

Selena may be a titan, but she's nothing like Chronos as the moon incarnate. If you're always going after Selene's boons, you enjoy not just her calming and celestial energy but also the process of channeling the power of the moon. Each choice is something different, whether you seek healing, the ability to slow down time, a curse to transform enemies, raising enemies from the dead, becoming a living nightmare or dealing a ton of damage in one fell swoop. Your choices mean trying new things each time, shifting your strategy with the cycles of the moon in a way that couldn't be more apt.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Echo

Fans of Echo know you can never have much of a good thing. While her story may be tragic and her fate undeserved, she makes do by helping Melonoë through reflecting the abilities and boons she already has. Chances are that you've made some wise choices during the run (or your last) and wouldn't mind a repeat, which is precisely why her services are so appreciated. More than once, you've also come to Echo with all of your death defies depleted, only for her to graciously restore them. Thank you, Echo!

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

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Chaos

Could there be anything more chaotic than jumping into every Chaos Gate? Chaos is the spirit of the primordial void, and visiting them is always about sacrifices and exchanges. Not only do you suffer damage going to see them, but the boons they offer are a tit-for-tat trade, with Melinoë suffering a temporary debuff in exchange for some kind of enhancement later. Yes, the benefits are typically worth the trouble, but if you time things wrong, you might be seriously at a disadvantage during a Guardian fight or left unable to use your most powerful ability for a few encounters without taking damage. It's a gamble—but then again, Chaos fans take a walk on the wild side.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Hades

We don't know why anyone would pass up on a Hades boon. Not only does seeing Hades give players the chance to visit dear old dad, but his boons are quite powerful, often taking inspiration from his boss fight abilities in the first Hades game or just making the Chronos fight easier overall. If he's your favorite, though, we bet you can't get enough of the sweet father-daughter bond Hades has with Melinoë, despite their time apart (and that by now, you're more than adept at taking Chronos down with each encounter).

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

Ares

In Hades II, Ares doesn't appear until after you've first scaled Mount Olympus, so his biggest fans are likely going to be avid players with a bit of a lust for war and battle. While he no longer inflicts doom, like in the first game, he can give your enemies wounds, causing plenty of extra damage in the process. These wounds can also spill plasma, making Melinoë faster and more agile. Basically, Ares lovers are natural warriors and seekers of justice.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

Medea

Medea, the Witch of Shadows, has a reputation for her ruthlessness and cunning, and if she's your favorite boon-giver (despite the aid she supplies to the cyclops Polyphemus), you likely enjoy her dark personality and powerful magical abilities. Her curses can either aid Melinoë with extra health, gold or magick or hinder her enemies in some way, and no matter what you choose, her careful studies are likely to be a massive help.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Icarus

If you get giddy every time Icarus shows up to help you take down a bunch of sea monsters at the Rift of Thessaly, you probably enjoy his sweet and helpful personality—and jump at every opportunity to get your hands on a new Daedalus Hammer. After all, Icarus it he son of Daedalus, and he might have more to do with the enhancements to your aspects than you think. You appreciate the way he bolsters your strengths, either by improving your damage or providing protective armor. We also bet that you also definitely have plans to smooch Icarus if the opportunity ever arises.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Circe

As a fan of Circe, we bet you try not to think too hard about the drove of pigs she keeps around the island, instead focusing on the powerful transformative boons she has to offer. You likely get a kick out of both the bigger and smaller versions of Melinoë, but also won't turn down enhancements to your animal familiar or arcana when necessary. You also love how warm and kind she is (despite learning more and more about the sometimes vindictive nature of her magic).

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Athena

Athena may be the ultimate life-saver of Hades II. If she's your favorite, you probably frequently find yourself equipping your Gorgon Amulet in times of need to summon her and replenish all of your death defies, and she's also saved your butt a number of nights on Mt. Olympus, showing up and vanquishing all of the foes in the room just when you thought all hope was lost. Even when you don't really need her help, you find it welcome, as her deflect abilities and temporary imperviousness are useful no matter what kind of run you're dealing with. Plus, despite her overabundance of pride, she's just plain cool.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

Dionysus

And finally, if you're all about Dionysus, you're fully onboard with his new party boy attitude and living it up, even when the world is crumbling around him. You, too, understand the inclination to go down having fun, and enjoy the care-free approach of his boons, from a mystery health upgrade to randomized damage, moves that inflict hangover and even a grape juice upgrade that makes your next move more powerful. Plus, you find the new look pretty funny.

(Hades II via Supergiant Games)

 

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